SES and Samsung Electronics demonstrated the first DVB transmission of High Dynamic Range UHD TV at the annual SES Industry Days in Luxembourg on 6 and 7 May. BBC Research & Development’s Hybrid Gamma technology enabled simultaneous delivery of Standard Dynamic Range to existing UHD TVs and High Dynamic Range to new generation UHD TVs from the same content payload.
The demonstration aimed to show how industry can launch new High Dynamic Range UHD TV Services over DVB Broadcast Networks, which can fully exploit the capabilities of the next generation of consumer displays, while simultaneously providing high quality UHD TV Service to UHD Phase 1 Receivers already in the market.
“High Dynamic Range (HDR) will significantly enhance how consumers will experience television in the future,” said Thomas Wrede, vice president, reception systems at SES. “An introduction of any HDR technology must be backwards compatible with existing DVB UHD 1 Phase 1 TVs that are already in consumers’ homes. SES and Samsung, with this transmission over the ASTRA satellite system, are demonstrating that this backwards compatibility is possible today.”
“Samsung is delighted to participate in this demonstration of a monumental step forward for the broadcast industry,” added John Adam, head of business development and industrial affairs at Samsung Research UK. “By delivering UHD TV services that can address the growing market of UHD Phase 1 TVs, while also providing the best experience to consumers who are investing in the next generation of TV, Samsung is ready to fully endorse the BBC Research & Development’s HDR technology as part of our overall drive towards the best consumer experience in UHD TV.”
